Principal Opportunities | Chicago Public Schools

CPS Principal Expectations

To fulfill our mission, we seek innovative, entrepreneurial, results-oriented school leaders with a deep sense of responsibility and commitment to the students in their schools and to the communities in which their schools reside.

CPS Principals are key levers for change and are critical to the success of our schools.

CPS principal expectations are in accordance with the CPS Principal Competencies.

A

Champions teacher and staff excellence through continuous improvement to develop and achieve high expectations for all students
B

Creates powerful professional learning system that guarantee learning for all students
C

Builds a culture focused on college and career readiness
D

Empowers and motivates families and the community to become engaged
E

Relentlessly purposes self-disciplined thinking and actions

The CPS Performance Standards for School Leaders Rubric with Critical Attributes organizes the work of a principal with standards that fall under each of the five competencies.

Principals receive two formal observations conducted by their Network Chief. All Network Chiefs are certified as principal evaluators by the Illinois State Board of Education. After the observations, evaluators provide feedback to and share collected evidence with principals. Each principal has the opportunity to set goals with their Network Chief and submit a self-assessment.

CPS Principal Requirements

CPS Principal Eligibility

BOARD POLICY 21-0428-PO1

CPS requires that all principal candidates earn CPS Eligible status in order to be offered a Uniform Principal Contract. This policy applies to all candidates, both internal and external, and ensures that schools have the most qualified principal candidates prepared to succeed from the first day on the job.

CPS Principal Eligibility Process (Eligibility) is administered by the Department of Principal Quality. If you are unsure if you are eligible, please email CPSLeaders@cps.edu or call 773-553-1515.

Active ISBE Endorsements

General Administrator (K-12) Principal Endorsement

Residency Requirements

BOARD POLICY 18-0627-PO4

All employees of the Chicago Public Schools must adhere to the Residency Policy for All Employees of the Board of Education. All officers and employees hired on or after the date of the residency policy will be required to be residents of the City of Chicago within six months from the day their employment begins.

How to Apply

To apply, complete and submit the CPS Principal Candidate Application Form and attach your resume, cover letter, and other materials requested by the advertising LSC. Additional attachments will not be accepted. Submit a separate application form with material for each individual school to which you are applying. All materials must be in PDF format only. (Save your document in PDF format prior to submission.)

Principal positions are generally posted for two weeks and may be posted again after the application deadline or upon request by the LSC. Candidates do not need to reapply for reposted positions.

Note, the Department of Principal Quality or the Department of Local School Council Relations cannot provide updates to candidates on the status of their application.

Find out more information about individual CPS schools on the School Profiles page.

Find out more information about Local School Councils role in principal selection.

Visit the Department of Principal Quality for more details.

LSC Principal Selection Process

Each Local School Council (LSC):

Determines position requirements and additional application materials based on the vision, mission, goals and needs of the individual school.
Receives all qualified candidate resumes and applications within three (3) business days following the Application Deadline along with verification of each candidate’s Eligibility status.
Determines their own interview process and timetable.
May vote to select a principal candidate at any time following initial screening of candidates but often hold multiple interviews in order to select the most qualified candidate for their school. Many LSCs host candidate forums which are an opportunity for the school community to meet finalist candidates.
Will contact candidates directly to schedule and conduct interviews for their school.

LSCs: Please follow Principal Posting Instructions and Principal Posting Template. Deadline to submit post is Tuesdays by 4pm.

Contract Principal Selection Process

To assist and inform the Local School Council (LSC) in the Principal Selection Process, a Principal Selection Committee (PSC) may be formed comprised of LSC members, teachers, and community representatives. This PSC may conduct certain steps in the process and may recommend its preferred candidate to the LSC.

LSC completes the Principal Selection Training provided by the Office Of LSC Relations prior to undertaking the process of selecting a principal candidate.

LSC prepares advertisement for CPS Principal Opportunities.
The LSC may seek feedback from school community on content of the ad.
LSC votes to approve ad and LSC Chair gets approval of ad from the Chief of Schools.
LSC Chair submits approved ad to the Department of Principal Quality by Tuesday 4pm for Wednesday E-bulletin.
Ad must post a minimum of 10 school days.

The Department of Principal Quality compiles and reviews all applicant Eligibility and sends a Candidate Slate, resumes, and materials to the LSC or PSC
Chair for review within two days of closing of ad. Note, Candidate Slate will indicate each candidates’ Eligibility.
LSC or PSC reviews resumes against the Worksheet for Resume Screen and Resume Screening Guide (LSC Reference Guide Part 6 Forms 4 and 5).
LSC or PSC selects potential candidates for interviews.
If necessary, LSC or PSC repeats above steps until desired number of candidates is selected to advance to an interview.

LSC or PSC conducts first and, possibly, second round interviews with candidates.
LSC or PSC completes candidate Reference Checks.

LSC or PSC presents selected finalist(s) to the school community in an open forum.
LSC or PSC may provide an opportunity for teachers and parents to question finalizes and offer impression/comments after meeting candidates.
LSC or PSC reviews and assesses feedback.

If a PSC was formed, may recommend its preferred candidate to the LSC.
LSC reviews recommendations of the PSC, if any, and selects finalist via public vote to award contract (7 votes minimum).
LSC extends an offer to the selected finalist.
LSC Chair notifies LSC Facilitator, Chief of Schools, and Principal Quality of selection.
Upon acceptance of the offer, the candidate signs five originals of four-year Board of Education’s Uniform Principal Performance Contract. Distribute: (1) new principal keeps; (1) LSC keeps; (1) delivered to Network office; (1) delivered to LSC relations; (1) delivered to Department of Principal Quality.

Non-Discrimination Statement

It is the policy of the Board to prohibit unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation on the basis of any protected category by the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of the State of Illinois and applicable federal, state or local laws or ordinances, including but not limited to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), specifically, but not limited to, discrimination, harassment or retaliation on the basis of sexual orientation, gender or sex (includes gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and pregnancy related medical conditions), race or ethnicity, ethnic group identification, ancestry, nationality, national origin, religion, color, mental or physical disability, age, immigration status, marital status, registered domestic partner status, genetic information, political belief or affiliation (not union-related), military status, unfavorable discharge from military service, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in the educational programs or activities the Board operates.

Concerns or inquiries regarding sex discrimination, harassment or retaliation can be made to the Board’s Title IX Coordinator in the Office of Student Protections (OSP) or the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

For incidents involving student victims, please see below for specific contact information:

Office of Student Protections and Title IX (OSP) at 773-535-4400 (student-to-student) (Inquiries regarding sports equity should be directed to ospcompliance@cps.edu)

Office of Inspector General (OIG) at 833-TELL-CPS (833-835-5277) (adult-to-student)
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at 312-730-1560 or ocr.chicago@ed.gov

For incidents involving adult victims, please see below for specific contact information:

Equal Opportunity Compliance Office (EOCO) at 773-553-1013 or eoco@cps.edu

U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at 312-730-1560 or ocr.chicago@ed.gov

Concerns or inquiries regarding discrimination, harassment or retaliation involving student victims on the basis of disability should be made to:

District Manager Section 504 Compliance at Section504@cps.edu

Concerns or inquiries regarding discrimination, harassment or retaliation on the basis of any other protected category listed above should be made to:

Principal of Student’s School (student victims)
Equal Opportunity Compliance Office (EOCO) at 773-553-1013 or eoco@cps.edu (adult victims)

For further information see the Board’s Comprehensive Non-Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation Policy.

Non-Discrimination Statement